The home wine-making kits which can be found on the market today have re-usuable, permanent fermentation containers which are expensive and cumbersome and which must be washed, sterilized and rinsed after each batch of wine. This invention relates to a new container particularly adapted for use in the home wine-making kit which is inexpensive enough that it can be discarded after each use. The container is not a permanent, rigid structure but is made from a flexible, inexpensive plastic bag.
The type of nonporous plastic bag used with this invention is not critical. When using the container described herein, the pressure build-up is not great enough to burst any of the common plastic bags found on the market today. Common inexpensive plastic bags which can be used are, for example, made from a polyolefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. Polyurethane bags function very well, but are more expensive than those listed above. Other types of laminated or coated bags can be used such as a bag made from one layer of polyvinylidene chloride and one or two layers of polyethylene (each layer of each material having a 1 to 2 millimeter thickness). One type of plastic bag which works quite well is made by the coextrusion of polyethylene and polyvinylidene chloride. However, any plastic bag can be used. Preferably, the bag will be heat sealable. In place of the common fermentation lock, applicants use a fitment sealed into an opening in the plastic bag. A cap which has a diaphragm sealed to its inside or outside diameter is sealingly engaged to the inside diameter of the fitment and allows the escape of CO.sub.2 which has been formed during the fermentation process. While allowing the escape of CO.sub.2, this cap does not allow the entrance of bacteria organisms, spores or any contaminant liquid or solid. The cap can be made from any nonporous material; plastic, e.g. polyethylene, is preferred because it is inexpensive.
Contaminants which are particularly undesirable in the formation of wine, cider, malt or dilute alcohol are the bacteria acetobacter aceti and bacterium aceti. When these bacteria are allowed to enter the fermentation container, they cause aerobic oxidation of alcohol to dilute acetic acid, thereby producing vinegar. The diaphragm of the present invention does not allow these bacteria to enter the fermentation bag.
Another common contaminant found in the production of wine is moisture. The diaphragm of the present invention also does not allow the entrance of water into the fermentation bag.